Outboard propeller mechanism for barges, scows, etc.



1943. w. F. MATHEWSON 5,

OUTBOARD PROPELLER MECHANISM FOR BARGES, SCOWS, ETC

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 6, 1942 Wilfred E MuThewson l-nven'Tor.

NW, 30, 1943. w, MATHEWSON 2,335,597

OUTBOARD PROPELLER MECHANISM FOR BARGES, SCOWS, ETC

Filed Aug. 6, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvenTor. WilFred F Mathewson b wmew Y A'flys.

NOV. 30, 1943. w, wso 2,335,597

OUTBOARD PROPELLER MECHANISM FOR BARGES, SCOWS, ETC

Filed Aug. 6, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 3o so lnvenTor.

WHFTed EMqThewson byfwdMiW A'Hys.

W. F. MATHEWSON OUTBOARD PROPELLER MECHANISM FOR BARGES, SCOWS, ETC

Filed Aug. 6, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 \nventor.

Patented Nov. 30, 1943 OUTBOARD raorsuna MECHANISM F BARGES, scows, ETC.

Wilfred F. Mathewson, Weymouth, Mass., assignor to Murray- & Tregurtha, Inc., Quincy, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application August a, 1942, Serial No. 453,789 a Claims. (01. 115-41) This invention relates to outboard propeller mechanism for barges, scows, and imilar boats, and particularly to mechanism of this type in which the power generating element, the propeller and the driving connections between the power generator and propeller are built as a unitary structure that can be installed as a single unit on the deck of any barge, scow, or other similar boat, with thepropeller and. its driving shaft in proper outboard position.

A general object of the invention is to provide a device of thi type in which the power generating element is rigidly mounted on a supporting bed or frame that is adapted to be bolted or otherwise secured to the deck of the boat, and the propeller and its driving shaft, together with the housing for said'shaft, is so mounted on a supporting shaft that is carried by the bed frame in outboard relation that the' propeller can be swung about the supporting shaft to raise or lower it, and in which the driving connections between the power generating element and the propeller include transmission gearing also mounted on said supporting shaft and so constructed that it is operative to transmit power fromthe power generator to the propeller in all positions of the propeller.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of this type in which the transmission gearing that is mounted on the supporting shaft is enclosed in a two-part housing, one of the parts of which is stationarily mounted on the supporting shaft and the other part of which is adapted to turn about the shaft as the propeller is raised orlowered.

Further objects of the invention are to provide various improvements in mechanism of this type which will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. l is a view showing my improved propeller unit mounted on a scow or barge, with the barge and a portion of the power generator broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view of Fig. 1 looking toward the left;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device with the power generator omitted and a portion shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4--4 Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on.

Fig. 'l is a section on the line 1-! Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a side view 01' the mechanism mounted 'on a scow and showing the manner in which the propeller can be swung upwardly into a position out of the water.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the relation between the gears I1 and I8 for driving the propeller.

In the drawings I indicates a barge, scow, or other boat on which my improved propeller mechanism is mounted.

Such propeller mechanism includes a power generating element 2, which may be a gas engine or. any other suitable power unit, a propeller 3,-

and suitable driving connections between the power generator 2 and the propeller 3. These parts are all mounted on a base or supporting frame indicated generally at 4 which is adapted to be installed on the deck of the barge or scow l the power generator 2, the propeller 3, the driving connections and the supporting base 4 all constituting a unitary structure which can be built as ,a complete unit and then transported to the barge or scow and installed thereon by simply mounting the supporting base 4 on the deck of the barge or scow.

The supporting frame is shown as comprising two sills or girders 5 and 6 which form the base or bed on which the power generating element 2 is mounted and to which it is secured, said girders or sills being suitably connected and adapted to be secured to the deck of the boat I in any approved way. The supporting base or frame also includes two arms 1 and 8 which are secured to the girders 5 and 6 and which extend upwardly and outwardly therefrom and which carry, at their upper ends a horizontal supporting shaft 9 from which the propeller and its housing is suspended and by which they are supported. This shaft 9 is stationarily mounted in the arms 'i and 8 and is in outboard position so that the propeller, which is suspended therefrom, will be in proper position for effectively ropelling the boat.

The driving connections between the power generating element 2 and the propeller 3- include a power shaft III which is driven from the power generator 2, a bevel gear transmission unit which is mounted on the supporting shaft 9 and which comprises two opposed bevel gear elements l2 and I3, one of which, the bevel gear element I2, meshes with and is driven by a bevel gear l4 on the power shaft l0, and the other bevel gear element l 3 meshing with and driving a bevel gear IS on the upper end of a vertical shaft i6 from which the propeller 3 is driven; This shaft l6 has at its lower end a bevel gear |1 meshing with a and driving a bevel gear l9 on the propeller shaft |9. 1

The shaft l6 connecting the bevel gears l and I1 is shown as made in sections which are connected with universal joints, said shaft comprising the upper section 29 which is connected by,

the universal joint 2| to the central section 22, the lower end of the latterbeing connected by a universal joint 23 with the lower'shaft section which the shaft 9 extends.- The lower shaft section 24 and also the propeller shaft |9 are mounted in suitable bearings, preferably roller bearings 29 and 39 that are mounted in a bearing support 3|. This bearing support is shown as which meets and engages the outer edge 64 of the housing section 43. This edge 641s formed with a beveled annular face 65 and the ring 63 is also provided with a beveled annular face 66. I

A split ring 61 having a V-groo've in its inner face encircles the beveled faces 66 and 65 and serves not only to make a tight joint but to hold the meeting ends of .the two housing sections tightly together. -This construction, however,

permits the housing section 43 to turn about the shaft 9 relative to the housing section 42.

The housing section 21 is shown as having a plate 45 extending transversely thereof through which the shaft section 29 extends, and the bearing support 39, which is rigid with the housing section 43, has an extension 46 the lower end of which extends into an opening 41 formed in the plate 45. 49 and 49 indicate sealing elements having a flange 32 which is clamped between the lower end of the housing section 26 and the housing section 25, these two sections being connected together by means of suitable bolts 33. 34 indicates suitable packing for the propeller shaft 9 which is carried by the lower housing section 25. I

The housing section 26 is secured to the lower end of the upper housing section 21 and the con-- nection between these housing sections is such as to permit the housing section 26 with the propeller shaft to be turned about a vertical axis, as will be presently described. The upper shaft section 29 is mounted in suitable bearings 35 carried in a bearing-support 36 that is rigid with a gear housing 31 that encloses the bevel gear transmission elements l4, l2, l3 and I5 and is mounted on and supported by the supporting shaft 9. This housing 31 also provides a bearing support for the bevel gear transmission element l2, l3. Such element is provided with two hubs 38 and 39 through which the supporting shaft 9 loosely extends and which are supported in roller bearings 49 mounted in the hub portions 4| of the housing 31.

This manner of mounting the housing 21, 26 and on the shaft 9 and the construction of the bevel gear transmission l4, l2, l3 and i5 permits the housing and propeller to be swung about the supporting shaft 9 as a unit from the lowered operative position shown in full lines Fig. 7 into a raised position such as illustrated in dotted lines Fig. 7. In order to provide for such swinging movement of the propeller, however, the housing 31 for the bevel gear transmission is made in two sections 42 and 43. The section 42 is stationarily mounted on the shaft 9 and it carries a bearing 44 for one end of the power shaft I 9. Said housing section 42 has an axial opening which receives the inner end of a bushing 9| that is carried by the upper end of the arm 8 and through which the supporting shaft 9 extends. The other section 43 of the housing, however, is rigid with the housing section 21 and thus partakes of its swinging movement about the shaft 9 as the propeller is raised or lowered. Said housing section 43 is provided with a hub portion 99 which is rotatively mounted on the stationary supporting shaft 9. In order to provide a tight joint between the two housing sec tions 42 and 43 the left hand end of the section 42 is shown as having a ring 63 secured thereto propeller 3 should be used not only to propel the boat I forwardly, but also for steering the boat and for reversing the direction of its motion. For this purpose the housing section 26 is connected to the upper housing section 21 by means of a swivelconnection which permits said housing section 26 and the propeller to be turned about a vertical axis into different angular positions for steering the boat and also to be swung into the dottedr line position Fig. '7 for the purpose of moving the boat backwardly.

The housing section 26 has secured to its upper end a worm gear member 59, said worm gear member being attached to the housing member 26 by suitable bolts 5|. The housing section 21 has rigid therewith at its lower end an inwardly directedannular flange 52 to the under side of which is secured by bolts 53 a retaining ring 54. The worm gear member 59 is formed with a downwardly facing shoulder and situated between said shoulder 55 and the retaining ring 54 any appropriate way as by means of an electric motor 62 that can be controlled through any suitable control switches not shown. By'operating the motor 62 the housing section 26 with the propeller can be turned into any angular position about a vertical axis and by this means the boat can be steered or it can be reversed.

The power shaft l9 may be connected to the power generator 2 through the medium of any suitable or usual gear drive which will permit a change of relative speed between the power generating unit and the shaft l9. Such change gearing, which may have any usual construction, is enclosed in a gear box 65 and may be operated by a gear shift lever 66.

The torque reaction on the shaft l6 and the reaction of the propeller 3 in the water has a tendency to turn the propeller housing about its vertical axis, and in order to counteract this tendency, I have provided a construction in which the axis of the propeller shaft I9 is located at one side of the axial line about which the housing sections 25, 26 turn, so that the thrust on the propeller shaft I! will tend to cause said housing sections 25, 26 to turn about their common axis in a direction opposite to that which the torque reaction on the shaft I6 and the reaction of the propeller in the water tends to turn said housing sections.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, this is accomplished by so arranging the bevel gears l1 and i8 that the axes thereof will be in separate vertical planes. This is shown in Fig. 9 wherein the axial line of the bevel gear I! is situated at one side of the axial line of the gear l8 and the propeller shaft. By thus offsetting these two gears the tendency of the propeller and the housing sections and 25 to turn about a vertical axis is counteracted, thus relieving the gears 59 and 60 and the steering mechanism from any strain which would normally result from this tendency of the housing to turn about its vertical axis due to the torque reaction on the shaft It. By this construction the torsional strain on the housing sections 25, 26 is substantially balanced thus relieving the steering mechanism from any strain except that required to turn the lower housing member in either direction.

The stationary supporting shaft 9 is shown as mounted at one end directly in thesupporting arm 1 and at the other end it is mounted in a bushing 9| which extends through an opening formed in the upper end of the arm 8 and is secured to such arm by bolts 92. The inner end of this bushing has mounted thereon a circular bearing member 93, and the shaft 9, at the left hand end in Fig. 5, has a similar bearing member 93 mounted thereon, said bearing members providing the bearing for the extension 28 of the swinging housing 21.

84 indicates guarding flanges extending from the housing section 25 and which serve as guards for the propeller. The housing sections 25, 26, 21 constitute the propeller-carrying means which is supported entirely by the horizontal stationary supporting shaft 9,

The swinging movement of the propeller from its full line position Fig. 8 to the dotted line position may be provided for in various ways. As herein illustrated such movement is derived from an hydraulic element comprising a piston 80 operating in a cylinder 8|, said piston having a piston rod 82 that is connected at 83 to the housing member 21. By admitting fluid under pressure to the left hand end of the cylinder 81 (see Fig. 1) the piston 80 will be moved out.- wardly, thereby swinging the propeller upwardly. When the pressure within the cylinder BI is relieved the propeller will gravitate back to its normal position and this hydraulic member provides a stop which limits the swinging movement of the housing 26, 25, toward the boat, and thus serves as a strut member to assist in transmitting power from the propeller to the boat.

I claim:

1. A propeller mounting for barges, scows, and other boats comprising a supporting frame adapted to be mounted on the deck of the boat and having a pair of outwardly extending supporting arms, a nonrotatable, horizontal supporting shaft extending from one arm to the other and. stationarily mounted in said arms in outboard relation, propeller-carrying means suspended from and supported by said shaft, a propeller carried by said means, said propellercarrying means being capable of swinging about said shaft to raise or lower the propeller, a powergenerating element carried by said frame, and

driving connections between the power-generating element and the propeller, which driving connections are operable in all positions of the propeller-carrying means.

2. A propeller mounting for barges, scows, and

other boats comprising a supporting frame adapted to be mounted on the deck of the boat and having a pair of outwardly extending supporting arms, a nonrotatable, horizontal supporting shaft extending from one arm to the other and stationarily mounted in saidarms in outboard relation, propeller-carrying means suspended from and supported entirely bysaid shaft, a propeller carried by said means, said propellercarryingmeans being capable of swinging about said shaft to raise or lower the propeller, a power-generating element carried by said frame, and driving connections between the powergenerating element and the propeller, which driving connections are operable in all positions of the propeller-carrying means and which include transmission gearing mounted on said supporting shaft.

3. A propeller mounting for barges, scows and other boats comprising a supporting frame adapted to be mounted on the deck of the boat and having a pair of outwardly extending supporting arms, a horizontal nonrotary supporting shaft extending from one arm to'the other and stationarily mounted in said arms in outboard relation, propeller-carrying means supported entirely by and depending from said supporting shaft, a propeller carried by said means, said propeller-carrying means being swingable about said shaft to raise or lower the propeller,a twopart gear housing also mounted on and supported by said supporting shaft, a bevel gear element within the housing and having an axial opening through which the supporting shaft extends, bearings for said bevel gear element carried by the gear housing, a power shaft operatively connected to said bevel gear element, and driving connections between said bevel gear element and said propeller, one part of the gear housing being stationary and providing a bearing for the power shaft and the other part being rigid with the propeller-carrying means and turnable therewith about said supporting shaft.

4. A propeller mounting for barges, scows and other boats comprising a supporting frame adapted to be mounted on the deck of the boat and having a pair of outwardly extending supporting arms, a horizontal nonrotary supporting shaft extending from one arm to the other and stationarily mounted in said arms in outboard relation, propeller-carrying means supported entirely by and depending from said supporting shaft, a propeller carried by said means, said propeller-carrying means being swingable about said shaft to raise or lower the propeller, a twopart gear housing also mounted on and supported 'by 'said supporting shaft, a bevel gear element thereabout, a lower propeller-carrying section and an intermediate tubular section, a propeller carried by the lower propeller-carrying section, a two-part gear housing separate from the multipart housing and also mounted on and supported by said supporting shaft, a power shaft, a bevel transmission gear having an axial opening through which the supporting shaft extends, bearings carried by said gear housing in which the transmission gear is rotatively mounted, driving connections between said transmission gear and the propeller including an intermediate shaft in the intermediate housing section, one part of the gear housing being stationary and providing a bearing for the power shaft and the other part being rigid with said upper housing section and turnable about the supporting shaft therewith. I

6. A propeller mounting for barges, scows, and other boats comprising a supporting frame adapted to be mounted on the deck ofthe boat, a housing suspended from said frame in outboard relation, said housing having an upper non- Y rotatable portion and a lower portion which is swiveled to the upper portion to turn about its axis, a propeller shaft mounted in the lower portion, a power shaft, driving connections between the power shaft and the propeller shaft including an intermediate shaft situated axially of said housing and bevel gears connecting said intermediate shaft and propeller shaft, the propeller shaft being situated at one side of the axial line of said housing.

7. A propeller mounting for barges, scows and other boats comprising a supporting frame adapted to be mounted on the deck of the boat, a housing suspended from said frame in outboard relation, said housing having an upper portion and a lower portion which is swiveled to the upper portion to turn relative thereto about a vertical axis, a, propeller shaft mounted in the lower portion, a power shaft, driving connections between the power shaft and the propeller shaft including an intermediate shaft located in said housing and bevel gears connecting said intermediate shaft and propeller shaft, said propeller shaft being mounted to have its axial line at one side of the axial line about which the lower rotatable section of the housing turns.

8. A propeller mounting for barges, scows and other boats comprising a supporting frame, a housing mounted on said frame, said housing having an upper portion and a lower portion swiveled to the upper portion to turn relative thereto about a vertical axis, a horizontal propeller shaft mounted in the lower section and situated with its axis at one side of the vertical axis of said lower housing portion, a, power shaft, and driving connections between the power shaft and the propeller shaft including an intermediate shaft located in said housing, whereby the oflset relation between the axis of the propeller shaft and that of the lower housing section counteracts the torsional strain on said housing section due to the, torque reaction of the intermediate shaft.

' WILFRED F. MATHEWSON. 

